Pellegrini vows to stay on the offensive against Chelsea

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It’s been less than two weeks since Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 at the Etihad, shattering the hosts’ perfect home record in the Premier League. But despite that defeat, which prevented City from moving top in the league, manager Manuel Pellegrini insists he will not change his approach when the Blues visit for the FA Cup tie on Saturday.

“I am absolutely sure that in the previous game it was not a problem with tactics,” said Pellegrini. “The squad had a lot of changes and we had three or four clear chances before they scored. If we’d scored we could have scored again. I will continue to think exactly in the same way – it’s important to score and defend well.”

Those words might cause fear in some Manchester City fans, at least, those hoping the side will remain in the running for a quadruple this season. After all, it was the tactics of José Mourinho that won out in the end, with his counter-attacking squad exposing the space left by the hosts. And then there was Pellegrini’s use of defender Martín Demichelis as a central midfielder, an experiment that anyone with eyes can agree should never be repeated.

Yet Pellegrini insists that his use of Demichelis in midfield did not weaken his side. The Chilean is also not concerned by his side, who have 115 goals in all competitions, failing to score in their last two matches. He made sure to note that if they’d scored one against Norwich City, they’d have won the match, and had they scored against Chelsea, it would’ve been a draw. Which is an interesting way of viewing a game, considering it fails to take into account what happens after City scores those hypothetical goals.

Does anything rattle Manuel Pellegrini, or is he just playing it cool, ensuring that José Mourinho has no ammunition – either tactically or verbally?

Cecilio Dominguez and Mateus Uribe each bagged a brace, and Renato Ibarra also scored as the tournament’s top team sauntered into and out of Costa Rica on Wednesday. Club America has been to seven CCL finals, and one every single one.

West Ham United will pay a visit to Dag & Red as part of the latter’s #SaveTheDaggers campaign, and the March 21 date will cost fans between $7 and $21 to see a top flight side at 6,000-seat Victoria Road.

“So please come on down to the Chigwell Construction Stadium for an additional night of football. Bring a friend, or two, or more and we can use the gate takings to help get us back on track,” reads a press release.

Dag & Red was founded in 1992 and climbed as high as League One in 2011, and plays just 2.5 miles from West Ham United’s training ground. Newcastle’s Matt Ritchie and Dwight Gayle are among Dag & Red alums in the Premier League.

It’s a terrific gesture from West Ham, and is even more impressive in the United States where the growing club game is increasingly cutthroat (especially between non-synced leagues).

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AS Roma manager Eusebio Di Francesco absolutely roasted his charges after i Lupi tossed aside a Cenzig Under-inspired lead to fall 2-1 at Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie on Wednesday.

Di Francesco had praise for Edin Dzeko, who assisted Under’s goal, as well as goalkeeper Alisson, but was mostly enraged by his side.

4) “The difference was that in the first half we tried to hurt them while in the second we were looking to hold on – to what? I don’t know.”

— “To what? I don’t know” is hilarious. Di Francesco’s side has posted some serious wins this season, including killing off Chelsea 3-0 at home and coming back from 2-0 to draw the Blues at Stamford Bridge. He doesn’t preach sitting back.

3) “There were far too many schoolboy errors – even by players with a wealth of international experience.”

— Schoolboy errors!

2) “I saw two completely different teams out there today. There were lots of players I should have taken off after we conceded the first goal.”

— Again, one mistake by a number of players on Facundo Ferreyra is enough for Di Francesco. He’s not just happy to be here.

1) “I can’t imagine we’d get arrogant just because we’re winning an important game. It’s not as if Roma are used to reaching the final every year.”

— When you’re willing to essentially rip an entire club’s history — Roma’s been to just two UCL quarterfinals since losing the final to Liverpool in 1984 — you’re putting your footprints in new cement.

Salzburg’s two away goals in a draw feels like a one-goal lead, and the one-goal matches are especially interesting. In the case of Atalanta, 1-0 to the Serie A side could undo Michy Batshuayi‘s first leg heroics for BVB.